dig this sponsor: High Mowing Organic Seeds (giveaway!)

03 . 26 . 10

I am SO excited to brag about this month’s sponsor: High Mowing Organic Seeds. This inspiring company describes itself as an independently-owned, farm-based organic seed company dedicated to providing high-quality certified organic seed to farmers and gardeners.

Started by Tom Stearns in 1996, the Vermont-based business has grown from a hand-made catalog offering 28 varieties to over 450 varieties of heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid vegetables, flowers, herbs, garlic, potatoes and cover crops.

I believe it is now more important than ever to choose organic seed and food. As a consumer, I hold power in the future health of my community, my nation. Every time I spend a penny, I am voting for what my family values. And, we value nutrient rich food that was sustainably produced by farmers who value our planet.

They have a fantastic variety of seeds with great germination (including hundreds of varieties that grow vigorously in my zone 4 plot) that yield impressively flavored food.

They are a sustainable business, growing much of their seed on their 40-acre farm in Vermont and working with farmers and wholesale seed companies, both locally and across the county, to produce organic seed.

In their words, they believe in the importance of healthy food systems, which lead to healthy environments, healthy economies, healthy communities and healthy bodies. “Everyday that we are in business, we are working to provide an essential component in the re-building of our healthy food systems: the seeds.”

Gourmet Lettuce MixI asked HMOS a few questions and the thoughtful and heartening answers make me even more smitten with my seeds. Yes, I have a crush on my seed company. The boldness below is my own–parts I find particularly interesting and important.

Why are organic seeds from a reputable source important?

The importance of organic seed is often overshadowed by the importance of organic food. But whether or not seed crops are grown organically does have a significant impact on the environment and health of the surrounding communities.

Most crops grown for seed take longer to mature than food crops – the plant must go through its entire life cycle before seeds are mature, and even then there is often a period of curing or drying before seeds are ready to harvest. This lengthy process results in a greater window of time during which any number of pests and diseases can destroy the seed crop.

In conventional seed production, pesticides and fungicides are applied, often at much higher levels than are allowable for food crops. As the Organic Seed Growers and Trade Association asks: “Is it fair for those [who support] organic agriculture to want our own farms and environments to be as free of toxins as possible, but expect seed production communities to carry a heavy toxic load so that we can plant cheap conventional seed?”

Need a few other reasons why choosing organic seed is important?

Varieties that are selected for organic seed production are ones that have proven success in organic growing conditions. In an organic garden, plants receive nutrients from complex fertilizers such as compost, so they need vigorous roots to seek out dispersed nutrients in the soil. Organic farmers and gardeners use less and milder applications for pest and disease protection, so plants are required to provide more of their own defense.

As more people use organic seed, the increased demand encourages more focus and funding on research and development of organic varieties, and allows continued improvement of current organic varieties.

When you buy organic seed, not only are you getting a “safe seed” and one that is grown in organic conditions like your own farm or garden, but you are supporting the future of organics.

Your business has grown incredibly since it started in 1996. What are you most proud of and what keeps you doing this work?

I started the company out of a response to the negative trends I saw in agriculture and food systems in general: lack of locally grown food, loss of genetic diversity in our food plants, consolidation of the global seed industry, GMOs, the declining farm population and more. On this last point, the recent resurgence of young people farming and starting farms is very inspiring and gives me hope for the future. With the continuing surge of interest in local and organic vegetables, the market has never been better. At High Mowing we all feel truly blessed to be able to help our customers carry out the important work as growing food for themselves and their communities. Our customers are on the front lines of changing the way this country thinks about food. And because food connects us all so much, their work – your work – is also helping build strength in your community as well.

As a company we are very active in both our local community in Northern Vermont as well as in the wider organic and seed communities nationwide and even internationally. High Mowing is proud to support hundreds of community organizations and school gardens with seed donations, collaborate deeply with dozens of sustainable agricultural non-profits, and even fight for what we believe in with legal means (we jointly filed a lawsuit against the USDA regarding the release of GMO sugar beets). This involvement keeps us all hopeful that together we are making big changes in re-building our food system into something that supports self-reliance and true progress for our communities.

What advice do you have for beginning gardeners out there?Starting small will allow you to supplement with veggies from the farmers’ market and feel confident in increasing the size the following year. Perhaps a raised bed for your transplants would be suitable for your first season.

Also, doing a little research about which varieties to grow will greatly increase your chance of success.

With a little planning, a few materials and some seeds, you are about to embark on creating a sustainable food system for yourself. You will be saving money on purchasing the starts and saving on your food budget. In time you will be putting up your excess for the winter season. Happy Spring!

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And, the giveaway deets:

So, I mentioned last week that I was starting a Virgin Harvest: It’s My First Time challenge for all of YOU out there:

This is the year you start a garden. Or, this is the year you grow heirloom tomatoes. Or, this is the year you put up enough carrots to feed your family through the winter. Or this is the year you grow basil on your window sill.

Anything, everything. Pick a thing, or a few, and grow it for the first time. Why not? It’s guaranteed excitement and satisfaction coupled with epic nutrition and unrivaled flavor. Do it.

So, leave a comment telling me how you plan to be a Virgin Harvester and, for a little inspiration, I’ll randomly select five people who will receive a generous selection of High Mowing Organic Seeds! (comments close next Tuesday, March 30, 6pm mst)

Also, to broadcast your participation, post the sweet little graphic I created just for your virgin self on your blog. Just click here and copy the image and paste in your sidebar. And, if you want you can link the image to this page where I will track participation.

ok … i’m in desperate need for seeds in the very near future.the virgin part of me really wants to plant potatoes this year.i LOVE hearing about companies that tend to have the same morals that i TRY my hardest to adhere to. guess i’ll be popping on over and checking out your link!oh and the badge … as soon as i get a free second (or 2) i will be putting it on my blog. and i pinky swear i will try those potatoes. wish me luck.

hey nici, my (very first!) roof top container garden is planted and sprouting. at wateringtime my dogs wonder just *who* it is i’m singing to in those pots! hopefully we’ll be picking arugula and purple basil for salads and lavender and mint for summery cocktails before too long!

Just wanted to let you know I enjoy your blog, which I discovered on Homegrown.org. I sent your “Diaper Bag” post to my oldest daughter, who has a 6-month-old, and to my fiancé, who thinks I’m anal because I like to have things in a certain place!

I have posted your Virgin Harvest logo on my blog…reasons are in “Virgin Post”, and “Blackberry Cobbler and Light Bulb Tomatoes.”

This is a big gardening year for me. I’ve been a flower gardner for years, adding barrels of lettuces, herbs,and tomato plants around our patio. Now that we’re at our new house and I don’t have a babe in the tum, we’re going to try to grow a sustainable harvest for our family. I’ve been weeding through your blog for months now, taking notes on canning~which is also new to me this year.

The one thing I’ve never tried and am most excited about is our pumpkin patch. It is my dream to grow our Halloween pumpkins every year from here on out.

Oh Fun! Just what i needed this morning as the snow is falling and it is dark and dreary out.

I’m game… this year I vow to get the beautiful, but unproductive, raised bed thriving… trying to figure out if the soil nutrients were out of wack, or if I need to add some coconut fiber to help hold the soil withstand the hot reflective concrete… everything germinated but died within a couple of months So sad, I kept checking and holding out for them, but they just didn’t have it in them.

Also, I want to try “Moon and stars” watermelon and I have also always wanted to try a dry bean… checking out high mowing and the “calypso” bean looks pretty great.

I will have to pass on this site to my mom… she has been growing veggies for the Richmond farmers market, to help supplement their cheese business. You should check it out… http://www.rockhillcheese.com

So that is my virgin harvet vow… let’s hope it actually makes it to the harvet part.

Sounds like a really awesome company. Thanks for sharing! I am growing fennel and beets for the first time this year. It is only a container garden, but I feel I am only prepping myself for the day I have a real backyard garden! Thanks for the great blog. I read it every week!

I’m so excited for this year gardening season because I’m trying 2 new things, ‘Romanesco’ broccoli and ‘Walla Walla’ onions!! I’m hopeing to get enough broccoli to freeze for the winter and enough onions to make copius amount of French Onion Soup!! lol

I’ve done a smallish veggie garden for the past 4 summers, bit this is the first year that I have tried square foot gardening and peppers! I got some great little Anaheim Chili seedlings at the farmers market and I’m so excited to try my hand at them!Thanks for a wonderful giveaway!

Why are certified organic seeds so important? Because we have to keep giants like Monsanto from dictating what we plant and eat. If you haven’t seen Food INC do so. My poor DIL is still thinking about food and asking me tons of questions-yay!

We usually buy Garden City Seeds, raised in Montana. I love their sprouting rate-much higher than the big box store brands plus you get more seed for your money.

We usually get enough carrots and onions for the year, plus most years we get enough broccoli, beans and cauliflower for the freezer. AND tomatoes in jars for all those lovely Italian dishes and Hubby’s salsa.

I *love* HMOS!!! I had a small garden last year with transplants from my local CSA. This year will be my first time growing veggies and fruits from seed! Looking forward to it! =D Thanks for this great giveaway from my neighbor!

First of all…I LOVE the graphic! This will be year 2 of gardening at our home. The virgin part is that we’re square foot gardening for the first time in the backyard with some heirloom varieties we found locally. Would love to add more seeds in! Thanks for the opportunity!!

We have a community plot a couple blocks away but this year we (well my husband) is trying a “tree tomato” for the first time. And I think I will be trying canning tomato sauce for the first time. My boys want to try popcorn this year. So lots of firsts for us.

I’m not a virgin harvester…this is actually my second spring. but, since my first crop output was exactly one item from each crop, I say I still qualify! I have a container garden and would love to try these organic seeds and see if I have better luck this year.

Okay Burb….Here’s my garden idea for this summer. As you know I have huge back yard that is yelling at me to plant a small veggie garden!…but with three dogs, rabbits galore and deer who think this is their own personal grazing pasture it doesn’t stand a chance. Sooo, Dad has agreed to help me construct a small fenced plot for me to bloom in :)! I will be looking to you for your knowledge.

Oh, what a great give-away! I am going to be a virgin “start from seed gardener” this year. Usually I head to the farmers’ markets around Mothers day and get some plants already started, but this year, I am going to use seeds and start my own!

I am so excited at the chance to win such great seeds! I have planted a garden for years—love that my kids go out, pull up a carrot, wipe it on their shorts and eat it—will be even better with organic seeds!

Nici, I was so excited to read this post. I was late ordering my seeds this year, so I was not able to get what I was looking for from the company I have bought seeds from the past few years. So I figured I would give something new a try. I ordered seeds from HMOS for the first time… this year! I am jazzed about this company. My seeds arrived in the mail this week, and I am filled with the early season gardening excitement of how it will all pan out. I try to grow something new every year. This year it’s Tot Soy, and Parsley. Happy gardening.

Okay, I would like to pop the herb cherry. I started gardening in earnest last spring, but didn’t plant any herbs except for Italian parsley. What this means is that I’m either constantly purchasing those little plastic fresh herb packages at the grocery store (lame and wasteful) or sprinkling herbs from glass bottles in my cupboard that are God knows how old (bland and bland).

The virgin harvest goal: Grow all of the herbs that I will need for the year in my very own garden. Eat them fresh this summer and preserve them for winter. Yahoo!

I really enjoy reading your blog and all your beautiful photographs. Your little girls are so sweet!There are actually a few “first” for us this year: I planted some asparagus and hope to be able to harvest some next year. We also planted garlic in the fall and potatoes a few days ago – never grew those before. And last but not least, we added 3 columnar apple trees to our garden. Now just wish us luck with everything.

I love love love this blog. I don’t even remember where I linked to it from, but I spent my grandson’s home sick day reading every. last. back. entry. Awesome!!!

We finally finally moved into a house where the landlords are cool with us digging and planting. I’ve been wanting to have a small garden, and try preserving, for YEARS!!! This year, I am taking your challenge! I am planning strawberries, cucumbers, and I really want to try some dill, and maybe make pickles? With my own cukes and dill? I think that would be awesome! The grandboy wants to try some beans (even though he hasn’t put bean to mouth since infancy, perhaps, if he grows his own… he’s almost 4), and I am a huge fan of giant sunflowers, so I’m gonna put some of those in out front.

Oh yay!!! And this year, I’m also going to get large amounts of fruit from the farmer’s market, and learn how to preserve. I’m thinking… plum butter, peach butter, applesauce. I know where to go for fantastic direction on those.

Sooooo happy I found you! Don’t know where, but I know how. Research on Montana. Nothing more I want in the world than to relocate to Missoula/thereabouts for the second half of life. And somehow, in the process, there was dig this chick.

I love your blog. I found it through my cousins, who have great taste. I live in a city and don’t have a garden. However, I just got a miniature herb growing kit and I hope to cultivate it with my 2.5 yr old daughter this season. Thank you for the inspiration!

I’m here! I’m game! Tell me what to do! I’m so lost when it comes to gardening and always think it’s a lost cause because of our awful, dry grass, but I so WANT to be Gardening Girl. You’ve inspired me so much already to think harder about this world of ours (actually thinking about cloth diapers, but I’m horrible with laundry…any tips or push you wanna give me? I’ll take it. I’m very impressionable right now with it so…impression me). Anyhoo. I hereby pledge to start with herbs. We just transplanted all our sunflower pots to the dirt, so we have empty pots. And, if you have any suggestions how to do the tomatoes in this hot Florida climate with our dry grass and not-a-lot-of-yard, do tell. I so want to learn from my dig-this-chick!xoxo

I have started planning my garden. I too live close to the mountains in Zone 5, so I need some good tips. I think I’m going to start out simple and expand each year. I’d love some seeds to start me off! Thanks

I have a little garden and am actively keeping the chickens out this year, rather than being passive about it. I want my lettuce, dang it! I am also growing swiss chard this year for the very first time ever.. guess I am going to have to figure out some recipes since it’s not something we usually eat- I just couldn’t pass up the baby rainbow chard.

Hi! I would love to join the Virgin Harvest! This is my first time having my own garden ever. I’m really excited because yesterday I just got a community garden plot, and so now I have land! I’ve already started some seeds–Black Krim tomatoes, Great White tomatoes, Purple Cherokee, and sunflowers, white patty pan squash, and arugula and basil.

Here’s a link to my gardening blog Parsnipity Parcel. I can’t wait to here about the High Mowing winners!

Well, I am not a virgin gardener…but I have a mission for my garden this year which is brand new for me. I never really paid attention to where my seeds came from in the past. Over the past year I have read some literature about genetically modified seeds and came to realize I will change the way I garden this year. I will only use organic seeds and heirloom seeds. So this will be my “virgin” garden venture. I also would like to grow enough tomatoes to have a supply of salsa throughout the winter. And canning will be brand new for me. My mother canned everything that even thought about landing in her kitchen. I have many fond memories of a our steamy country kitchen in Montana and the smell of hot cooking tomatoes! So, this is my pitch for your give a away!

Nici, I never win your giveaways, but I love to have a good excuse to comment on your blog, which you know I love. This is the first year of gardening in OREGON, where the *shit* grows! In January, daffodils were already springing! Also, first time with raised beds that Frank is building me. I might plant flowers for cutting for our wedding, here in the backyard. Now that we are getting married in our backyard and are vegan, gardening and planting veggies and flowers seems even more important than ever before! Can you add me to the virgin challenge thing?? Miss you! Cat

we just got some free (non-organic) seeds from our community expo. although by the time i got there all there was left was flowers and lettuce. i have never been very good at gardening…i green beans once in grade school.

I have put the link up on the blog and I am ready to go. Last year was my first real garden, but this year I am adding potatoes, radishes, pumpkins, acorn squash, more herbs, strawberries, soy beans, patty pan squash and maybe artichokes. So excited!

As always, I have been loving your blog and looking forward to each post

I would like to join your Virgin Harvest challenge! This is my first year growing Wild Boar Farms’ tomato varieties. I am very excited about it. I stumbled on them this winter while browsing the web for seeds. The farm is based out of Berkeley/Solano/Napa, and Brad is very passionate about tomatoes and growing them the right way and he is breeding “future heirlooms.” Michael Pollan and Alice Waters both grow and love his tomatoes, so that’s enough for me. I have a lot more details on my blog, for anyone who might be interested. The Wild Boar site is: http://wildboarfarms.com/

Thanks for the challenge! I’m looking forward to it. Also, I am wondering if I get any readers of my blog to sign up, can I use your graphic to link to my page of my own Virgin Harvest readers, which in turn will link to your master home page of the Virgin Harvesters? Right now, I’m using your graphic to link directly to you, but I would like to create a page to track my own sub-group of challengers, still linking to you and giving you all the credit. Please let me know if this is OK. If not, I totally understand and I will leave it so the link goes straight to you.

I only have patios, however, I am goin to make some patio boxes this summer and grow my own tomatoes and peas. i already have herbs,m but need to try something new, I have always wanted to, however, this is the year to do it!Justine

I advocated sustainable food systems in cooking and nutrition classes in Philadelphia public schools and am now a chef at the Kushi Institute in MA, a macrobiotic education center. The students in Philadelphia seemed to learn a lot from cooking the plants they grew and harvested and at least saw in the school gardens and so I’m intending to at least integrate some produce from a garden here on the grounds at the institute into the cooking and invite students to contemplate sustainable food systems while serving fresh food from a three minute walk away.

I’m also preparing to store food for the winter and following spring if not beforehand and so am intend to grow heirloom species and dehydrating food which is as local and organic as I find within my budget.

So I would use the seeds to promote sustainable food systems, help people educate themselves about where their food comes from and about the food itself so as to nourish themselves effectively, and to store quality food for myself and ideally for others as well.

We are selling our first home and leaving our beloved veggie garden! It will be our first time starting over. Sad but exciting. We hope to bring as much love to our second garden as to our first. It will also be our first time transporting chickens across city lines.

So this is my 2nd year with my new garden. I put up a decent size raised bed, square foot garden last year. This year my goals are to: start all my own seedlings, all organic veggies, grow many new things….rhubarb, potatoes, broccoli, the list goes on! I look forward to participating in your Gardening Bit this year!! I love the inspiration I get from following along with others during this gardening adventure!

I am a true Virgin here. I’m starting my first veggie garden. Right now I have some tomatoes and a couple of watermelon seeds that are showing promise in little pots, and I’m trying to motivate the jalapeno peppers and okra next to them to keep growing.

I’m also attempting cucumbers and bush beans in the ground soon. It is all a grand experiment. I’m going to attempt potatoes in old tires when I can sit down and research it.

I bought all organic seeds, and heirloom tomatoes. I’m doing all organic gardening methods. This is all part of our grand scheme to reclaim our yard from boring lawn.

My husband & I love the idea of organic seeds! We have started growing food & flowers in our small plot of land in the middle of suburban Denver. So far, we have been successful with onions, tomatoes, & peppers. This year, we are trying our hand at lettuce, carrots, and beets! We love the idea of growing our own food, especially for the little baby we have growing in my belly. He/she will arrive this August and we cannot wait to teach him/her the Montana values we were raised with. I hope my child loves the dirt!

So, this year I’m trying onions and celeriac from seed and I’m going to try doing “leather britches” with a string bean variety suited to drying. The beans are strung on thread and dried then rehydrated and cooked. I’ve read about this in lots of old books and think it’ll be fun to try.

Love your blog… Just visiting for the first time and what an inspiration. Makes me so happy knowing so many ladies getting back to the soil and planting, planning, an dreaming of this year’s bounty. We’ve been growing a lil garden that expands every year, hoping this year to provide family with a diverse variety of goodness. Also hope to get some gourds, for craft projects, and a lil spilanthese patch. Thank you for doing this…

How fun! I love that graphic. This year will be my first year selling produce both at market and through a small CSA! I’m excited and slightly nervous. This will also be my first time growing artichokes and okra. I’m a northern gal so I don’t even know how to eat okra, but we’ll figure it out:) Thanks for such a fun project to get involved in, I’ll see if I can’t figure out how to get the graphic up on my bliggity-blog!

How fun!!! This will be my first year planting heirloom tomatoes and peppers. We have been eating locally (our backyard) for the last 2 years, but this year we are planting a huge variety compared to previous years.

This year my family is buying our first home. We will be packing up and moving… about 1 mile. We will however now be able to have a garden that doesn’t live in pots. And so this year my son and I will plant pumpkin seeds for the very first time. Our current neighborhood (which I love) isn’t much for trick or treating. The one we are moving is filled with kids and families and I’m hopeful there will be lots of cute animals and sorcerers ringing our bell on 10/31… and that they will be greeted by a great big smiling jack o lantern that was grown in the very same spot. This image makes me excited about our new place, the roots we’re going to put down and the community we want to build.Happy growing!Erin

I was so excited to read about this on your blog! I am a first time gardener…I was considering doing container gardening for my first time, but after talking with a girlfriend who has been gardening for fifteen years I have decided to take the plunge!! I have the perfect area in my back yard and am super excited to have my kids involved with this also! They want to grow their own pumpkins!! I live in Southeast Idaho…..XOXO Vivi

We grew a decent-sized though not terribly productive garden last year and did really well with tomatoes (16 plants, I think), but this year I want to grow automatics. I have a kickass sweet salsa recipe I need to make and then hoard.

so last weekend after feeling quite feisty (argument with husband) i went out to our small old mulch covered block of dirt and i started digging!!! like a mad woman hoping to find gold. and i did it, i had my husband pound together the wood box and filled it with good dirt and i planted broccoli, yellow squash and basil (all organic). tomatoes coming soon, i am so excited!!! thanks for inspiring me!!

This is my first year experimenting with a self-seeding garden. I wanted to fnd out what might continue on without my hand, as we are planning to move back home mid-summer this year and I didn’t want to put a lot of effort into a garden we will leave behind. I have seeded carrots, lettuce and spinach, but already most of the herb garden has returned, the swiss chard came back and the broccoli that I thought was dead had began to grow leaves again. It should be interesting to see what comes up in the coming months. The Borage went nuts last year, so I may be seeing it everyhwere. Happy gardening and most of all HAPPY SPRING!

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